What Torque Vectoring Really Means for the 2012 Ford Focus, and Why You Shouldn’t Get Too Excited About It

Ford today announced that all 2012 Ford Focus models will come with brake-based torque vectoring. What the Blue Oval is referring to is a system that selectively brakes the inside front wheel when cornering to keep that wheel from spinning. Don’t let the name fool you. This is really just an extension of stability control […]

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Ford today announced that all 2012 Ford Focus models will come with brake-based torque vectoring. What the Blue Oval is referring to is a system that selectively brakes the inside front wheel when cornering to keep that wheel from spinning.

Don’t let the name fool you. This is really just an extension of stability control that works when the driver is on the power, as opposed to a differential-based system like those used by Acura, Audi, BMW, Nissan, and others. In that sense, Ford’s system is more like an electronic limited-slip differential, but since torque vectoring sounds cooler, that’s where the marketing machine headed. Ford’s claim that the system is a “class-exclusive feature” is only somewhat true and depends on how you define the class; the Volkswagen GTI (among other VW models) includes what the company calls its XDS, or Cross Differential System, while the now-defunct Dodge Caliber SRT4 included a brake-based “limited-slip.”

Not all “torque-vectoring” performance vehicles use differential-based systems, however. The most notable rear-wheel-drive-based cars to use a brake-based system are the Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S. Porsche chooses to use a brake-based system for weight savings. Again, these are real sports cars, and the benefits are easily felt.

Should you care about the Focus’s fancy stability control? If you’re an enthusiast, then sure. But most Focus drivers likely will seldom put the system’s lines of code into action, and few will notice when it’s working. This is more of a safety feature than anything else (in the same vein as the Curve Control System that Ford debuted on the new Explorer) and will likely be marketed as such. The only place where this system will really be necessary is in the Focus ST, which will have sufficient power to tame and will be bought and driven by real car people. But it should be noted that the brake-reliant nature of the system could mean degraded braking performance in a track environment.

A real positive for this electron-based technology is that it doesn’t add weight—it’s a smart use of components the car already carries. But we aren’t going to call it torque vectoring.